pjbooks Did you curse in Chapter 31?
Did you curse in Chapter 31?
In front of the brick-and-tile canteen were three rows of cement boards, on which students from each class placed their soup buckets and steamed bun baskets. At mealtimes, students from each class would crowd around their respective soup buckets to collect their noodle soup and steamed buns or cornbread.
Diagonally opposite the cement board is a water tap, where students wash their enamel mugs and chopsticks.
The county town is adjacent to Bainiu Lake. Although the power supply is not very stable and the economy is poor, the tap water supply was built in the county center, high school, hospital, and residential compound. A couple of years ago, some rural people came to the county to attend the lantern festival and made up a rhyme when they saw the tap water: "Life in the county is really wonderful, just turn on the tap and the water comes."
There are two taps in front of the cafeteria. After students finish eating, they have to line up in two long queues to wash their chopsticks and enamel mugs, with one queue corresponding to one tap.
He Genbao, a student from Class 1 of Senior Three, was queuing in line at the water tap on the right, frowning and looking sullen... Queuing like this was really a waste of study time.
Just then, a soft but clear curse came from behind: "Coward."
He Genbao didn't take it to heart, thinking someone was talking.
But after a brief pause, the voice rose again: "You coward who only knows how to tattle on others to the teacher!"
He Genbao felt as if a thorn had been pierced in his heart and immediately turned his head away.
There was a person behind him, who was none other than his classmate Ma Lai happy, whom he had reported earlier that day.
The people Malai was talking to were Li Jialiang, a student from Class 2 of Senior Three, and Wang Yonghong, another student from Class 2, who were in another queue waiting for the water tap.
Ma Laixi, Li Jialiang, and Wang Yonghong laughed and joked, glancing at He Genbao as if they didn't even know he was there, deliberately pretending he wasn't there.
"I knew people like that were cowards!"
"Yeah, let's talk things out. I'm not afraid of a fight. Only a coward would report us to the teacher!"
Li Jialiang even imitated the translator of a traitor in a black-and-white film, performing for the two men: "Reporting to the Japanese officer, he's speaking in secret!"
"Yoshi, you're a law-abiding citizen..."
Malai added a comment, and the three of them burst into laughter.
He Genbao's hands trembled as he stared at the three men, gritting his teeth and shouting, "Who are you three talking about! What right do you have to insult me!"
Ma Laixi, Li Jialiang, and Wang Yonghong all turned to look at him: "Who insulted you? We weren't talking to you, don't go looking for trouble!"
"I heard you calling me a coward!" He Genbao trembled with anger.
"We didn't name anyone, we didn't even mention their surname, so why are you saying we're insulting you? This isn't after lights out; what right do you have to tell us what to say?"
"Exactly, we don't even know you, why would we insult you?"
"We're criticizing Zhang Ga's translator. Don't be fooled by his antics today; he might come after us later."
The three men, Malay and his companion, spoke with confidence and without any ambiguity.
Seeing that none of the three would admit anything, He Genbao gritted his teeth in anger and shouted, "You wait, I'm going to tell the teacher!"
"Then go ahead. We were talking about 'Little Soldier Zhang Ga' in the cafeteria, which is getting in the way of your studies. Why don't you just make sure no one talks to you wherever you go!"
He Genbao's voice grew louder, and Ma Laixi, Li Jialiang, and Wang Yonghong, not to be outdone, started arguing in the water tap queue in front of the cafeteria, immediately attracting the attention of all the students, school staff, chefs, and teachers who had just finished eating.
It also includes Tang Huaiyi, Li Xiujuan, Guan Xiaolin, and Song Siyuan.
Guan Xiaolin took a closer look and immediately became anxious: "It's a classmate from our class, I have to go over there!"
Tang Huaiyi also put down his cornbread and followed: "Li Xiujuan, keep an eye on our food. I'll see if the squad leader needs any help."
Guan Xiaolin is a very good person. Although she is the class monitor, she is still a girl.
He Genbao and Ma Laixi are both boys over eighteen years old. If they really start fighting, Guan Xiaolin definitely won't be able to stop them, and she might even suffer a loss.
Tang Huaiyi needs to go and take a look.
Seeing that Guan Xiaolin and Tang Huaiyi had gone over, and that the people arguing were He Genbao, Ma Laixi, and other roommates, Song Siyuan quickly followed.
"He Genbao, Ma Laixi."
Guan Xiaolin quickly stepped forward: "Why are you two arguing? You're classmates, it can't be anything serious, right?"
He called me a coward!
"I was talking to the students from Class Two, without mentioning their names or surnames. What's it to you?"
He Genbao and Ma Laixi both spoke loudly, each sticking to their own version of events.
Seeing that the two of them were talking past each other, Guan Xiaolin said, "Stop arguing. Come to the classroom with me and tell me what happened. There are so many teachers and students in the cafeteria; it's not the place for us to fight."
Ma Lai happy nodded; he was actually a little guilty.
After all, Teacher Tian is not easy to talk to, but he's not stupid either. As soon as he mentioned this, he knew that they were deliberately making things difficult for He Genbao.
He Genbao, however, refused to let the matter rest and shouted at Ma Laixi, "I'm going to tell the teacher! Not just you, but also Li Jialiang and Wang Yonghong from Class Two!"
No sooner had the words left his mouth than a cold voice rang out from behind the crowd.
"What do you want to tell me?"
The students gradually moved aside, and a short, stocky teacher with a cold face and carrying a lunchbox walked in. It was Mr. Tian, the homeroom teacher of Class 1, Grade 12.
Upon seeing Teacher Tian, He Genbao immediately went up to her: "Teacher Tian, they called me a coward!"
Teacher Tian glanced at him: "Them? Who are they?"
"Ma Laixi from our class, and Li Jialiang and Wang Yonghong from Class Two."
Teacher Tian then asked Ma Laixi, "Did you scold him?"
"No, we were talking about the movie 'Little Soldier Zhang Ga,' saying that the translator was a coward," Ma Laixi said, steeling himself.
"You're lying!" He Genbao glared at him.
"I didn't say anything, I didn't mention names, I just said the translator was with the Japanese devils..."
"You're saying that tattling to the teacher makes you a coward!"
The two were exchanging words when Teacher Tian interrupted them coldly, "He Genbao, did you hear him insult you? Name him specifically?"
He Genbao was somewhat speechless.
Teacher Tian glared coldly at Ma Laixi: "You seem to have a lot of free time. You're almost twenty years old, and you're talking about 'Little Soldier Zhang Ga' at school? Did your family send you to school to do this?"
Malai happy immediately shrank back.
Teacher Tian turned and looked around again: "Guan Xiaolin, do you know what happened?"
Guan Xiaolin shook her head: "Teacher Tian, I don't know either. I just came here to persuade them not to fight."
"Okay, then come with me to the office." Teacher Tian said, gesturing for He Genbao and Ma Laixi to follow him.
He Genbao couldn't help but say, "And there are two more from Class Two..."
"Leave Class Two to me."
With a hoarse voice and dark circles under her eyes, Xu Ruyun, the homeroom teacher of Class Two, said, "Li Jialiang and Wang Yonghong, come to my office too. Let's talk about what happened."
Teacher Tian didn't speak, but just nodded and glanced at He Genbao.
After Teacher Tian and Teacher Xu took the four students away, the cafeteria finally returned to peace.